With all the changes that'll be happening at Fox once the Disney merger takes place, it's only natural for viewers to wonder if the network is able to, or is interested in, bringing former hits back for fan-pleasing revival seasons. Two such projects include the long-running action thriller 24 and the horror-tinged black comedy Scream Queens.
Speaking recently at the Television Critics Association winter press tour, Fox's relatively recent new head honcho Charlie Collier took questions, and it wasn't long before the past was brought up anew. Let's go over his thoughts for each of the previously mentioned shows.
24
Even though Kiefer Sutherland led the terrorism-fueled drama 24 for eight different seasons and a standalone limited series season, it still feels like "the show that got away" for many Fox viewers that can't easily let Jack Bauer go. So the question always remains for whoever happens to be standing atop the network mountain, "When is 24 coming back?" Here's how Charlie Collier answered it at TCA.
We talk a lot about what is the right time to jump on a moving train. When I jumped onto Fox, you realize that, for franchises like 24 and others I get asked about a lot, not only is it a blessing to have them in our legacy, but it’s a responsibility to bring them back such that the creators, the network, and the studio are all feeling great when we do. So we are not announcing anything about 24 today, but we have such admiration for Howard [Gordon, producer] and all the people involved in 24, and when we get it right, I think it’s something we’d take very seriously.
Charlie Collier's answer had just the right mix of management-speak and genuine fandom, making it as easy as ever for 24 fans to continue holding onto the belief that more clock-watching episodes could potentially race towards production in the not-so-distant future. As it usually goes with conversations like this, the powers that be are just looking for the right story to come along to wholeheartedly justify bringing the CTU and its (sometimes) dedicated agents back to primetime.
Of course, it remains to be seen if that slam dunk of a premise will ever surface for a future season of 24. After all, Fox went hard on returning the franchise with new eyes and ears for the semi-spinoff 24: Legacy. The Corey Hawkins-led series did not do much to sway ratings or critical appeal, and thus did not make it beyond its initial season.
There was talk last year of Fox going the prequel route with 24, to give fans a look at Jack Bauer before he became a 24/7 superhero. It's likely this would be how the franchise continued, since Kiefer Sutherland is busy with the third season of Netflix's Designated Survivor, and hasn't been all that vocal about wanting to return to 24 since that show started up.
Scream Queens
In the scheme of things, Ryan Murphy's Scream Queens isn't anywhere on the same level as 24 when it comes to longevity, global recognition, marketability and so on. However, 24 doesn't ever feel like a deliciously bitchy good time, so the Emma Roberts-led Scream Queens is needed to fill at least one void. But according to Fox boss Charlie Collier, fans probably shouldn't expect to see the Chanels returning just yet.
It’s similar to my answer with 24. What’s remarkable is how many great shows and great assets have been on our air, and great creators. Anytime Ryan Murphy wants to build something, we take it very seriously. He’s obviously, just from one tweet alone, gotten a lot of interest out there, but there are no plans right now on Scream Queens for us.
Scream Queens was officially cancelled by Fox back in 2017, after two modestly rated seasons that gave John Stamos, Nick Jonas and Jerry O'Connell time to shine in primetime again. With the spirit of an anthology series affixed to its central squad of pampered females, the show doesn't really have a concrete storyline to adhere to, so Season 3 could be about nearly anything the potential creative team wants.
Fervor for Scream Queens' potential return started up again just recently, when Ryan Murphy took to social media responding to fan enthusiasm for the show's return. Murphy mentioned a possible limited-episode series, or even a "catch-up movie." Fox would presumably be the future home for such projects, though the current boss doesn't seem to have any current plans for it.
Which of these shows would you guys want to see return to primetime first? Let us know in the poll below!
While waiting to hear if anything new will be announced with 24 and/or Scream Queens soon, head to our midseason premiere schedule to keep track of everything that is already confirmed to be heading to the small screen.
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